I Wish
by Millie M. Banshee
Summary: Tres Iqus is nothing more than a “Killing Doll.” A weapon, a machine. Void of human emotions. Or so everyone thought, including Tres. It seems the Android has fallen for young woman. How far will go for her? Maybe even becoming a human... TresXOC pairing
1. Is It Truely a Glitch?

"I Wish…"

Chapter 1

Is It Truly A Glitch?

(A/N This is only going to be a three or four chapter story and totally romance. And this coming from a 19 year old woman, who only had one boyfriend that last all of 3 or 4 months about 5 years ago in the 9th grade. Sad isn't it? Yeah… Anyway this is what inspired me to write this story. One I listened to "I Wish I had an Angel" by Nightwish one too many off of a YouTube video called Trinity Blood AMV Angel by Andachan. Two because I'm really starting to like Tres because I'm making his costume to cosplay in for the Animazement convention in Durham, NC. Yay me!)

Disclaimer: I don't own TB but I wish I did.

SUM: Tres Iqus is nothing more than a "Killing Doll." A weapon, a machine. Void of human emotions, human empathy, and human understanding. Or so everyone thought including Tres. But a fateful encounter one day with a young woman changed what everyone thought they knew about the android's programming. How far will he go for her and how far will she go for him?

**SOUNDS/sounds**

_Thoughts_

* * *

The day was clouded over with a bone chilling wind coming in from the north. A light snow blanketed the ground of Rome. More was expected to fall from the heavens sometime during the daylight hours. Christmas was nearing and in only two days it would be the blessed day.

Two priests clad in black walked down the frozen streets; one with long silver hair and the other with short auburn hair. They were looking at all the decorations everyone put up for this joyous holiday. Well, only one really was. The one with silver hair named, Father Abel Nightroad, while is partner with the auburn hair named, Father Tres Iqus, was just mostly following him like a little chick would do to his mother not at interested at what surrounded him.

"Isn't this a wonderful time of the year, Father Tres," Abel asked with a large smile, watching two children run by him with presents in their hands. "Everyone is so happy and people are friendlier to one another. I wish it could be like this all year long. Don't you, Tres?"

"I fail to understand your meaning, Father Nightroad," Tres replied in his normal monotone, looking at Abel shake his head.

"I'm starting to think that the only things I can talk to you about are the missions we are sent on. You're not much of a conversationalist," Abel moaned.

"Conversational talk was never programmed into my mainframe," he replied dully.

"So I've noticed. For once we get a day off and there's nothing to do," Father Four-eyes sighed, twirling a piece of his silver bangs in a little frustration. "And all I have is one dinar to my name. So, it's not like I can go shopping for gifts. I can't even buy a cup of hot tea."

Tres only stood and watched as his companion rambled on to himself about not having any money for food and gifts. He remained silent with his cold eyes never moving from the silver haired man before him. However something managed to catch his steely eyes. A mass of short, very curly hair with the color that matched his own. He looked away from his fellow priest to see a young woman about five foot one walk by just on the other side of Abel. He watched her as his head panned from right to left following her every movement.

She was thin, fair skinned, and emerald eyed. Her face looked as though she be nothing more but a child in her early teens but truth be told she was going on twenty. She wasn't a woman of extraordinary beauty but she held a strong cuteness to her facial features. Her face was plain; not a freckle or any cosmetics to enhance her looks. She wore a long white wool coat that went down to her knees and a black scarf tied around her neck. Her feet were shoed in thick white boots and her legs were covered with a pleaded black skirt that just covered the tops of her boots about half way down her halves.

He watched as she continued to pass by them both. Two large shopping bags in her bare hands swayed back a forth as she walked. Her emerald eyes turned ever so slightly to look at him before shifting forward again. The sounds around Tres disappeared and all other sights as well but the woman that moved away from him.

Before he knew it his feet started moving on the snowy sidewalk, following after her. He left so silently that Abel continued muttering to himself without ever noticing that his partner was now missing. Tres continued to follow after her in the crowd, staying a good ten feet from her. He was compelled to trail after her for some unknown reason. He couldn't analyze what was making him do this. A glitch in his programming, perhaps? She was not a hostile being so there would be no reason to trail her for surveillance.

But something about her pulled him in, wanting to watch her. The clouds above finally started showering white ice crystals down to the cold earth. He had no idea where he was being led to but only knew she would be there. He watched as a small package slipped out of one of her bags. He picked it up and looked at the silver wrapping and gold ribbon. She slowed her walk and stopped at the steps of a small town home in the middle of about 4 other homes built as one large brick building.

She walked up the icy steps and set down her bags and fished around in her coat pocket for her keys, when she heard someone walked up behind her. She turned around slightly to see who it was. She was surprised to discover it was a priest. But not just any priest one of the two she saw on the street about 4 blocks back.

"Can I help you, Father," her was voice a little deep but pitchy at points.

"You dropped this," he said, revealing the small silver and gold package in his white gloved hand.

"Oh, thank you," she said, reaching for the package in his hand. "I'm glad you found it for me."

Tres nodded his head slightly at her as she put the small package back into a shopping bag. She looked back at him as she pulled out her keys from her pocket.

"Are you alone, Father?" she asked, looking for the other man he was with him. "The one that was muttering to himself, is he around here somewhere?"

"Negative, Father Nightroad did not accompany me," he replied as she blinked at his odd response.

"Oh, okay," she said slightly perplexed, turning around, unlocking the door, and opened it. "You want to come inside for a while to warm up some?"

Tres nodded at her again as she picked up her bags and walked inside. Tres soon followed and closed the door behind him. He stood in front of the door as she turned on a few lights and set down her bags on the small sofa. The living room was small with one dark blue sofa, two matching chairs, and a wooden coffee table. The living room then moved to the kitchen off to right and the upper level stairs to the left.

Tres finally moved from the door as she walked over to one the counters in the kitchen and turned on a radio. She adjusted the volume to a suitable level.

"Do you want something to drink or eat?" she asked, opening a cabinet and pulled some cups and some tea bags.

"Negative," he answered as she looked at him oddly again. "But thank you."

"Alright," she said, putting the extra cup and bag back up. "You can a have seat."

Tres sat down in a chair as he watched her put some water in a tea kettle. He looked around the room some more the walls were decorated with beautiful water color pictures and pencil drawings. He then saw an easel and a large pad of paper leaning up against the wall. More than likely the art on the walls were created by her.

He heard her move towards him and sat down on the sofa, opening her bags. She pulled out the wrapped gifts on the couch and started sorting them out. He watched as she sat them on different part of the coach and floor muttering little brother, mom, dad, Aunt Vicky, and other names of her family.

"My name is Father Tres Iqus," Tres spoke up as she jumped slightly as his voice.

"I-I'm Lucille Samantha Furr. Some of my friends call me Luci Furr or sometimes even Lucifer," she grinned slightly with a small chuckle, thinking it would lighten the mood but Tres seemed just as cold as before and her face fell. "Well, perhaps, maybe it's not all that funny after all."

"I do understand your meaning," he said, looking at her.

"Oh, okay. _I don't understand this man at all. Most people usually laugh at my name._" she answered back, pulling the last package out and set it down on the pile for her little brother. "So, Father Iqus, do you work at one of the local churches or do you work in the Vatican?"

"I work in the Vatican for Cardinal Caterina Sforza."

"Wow, you work for the Duchess of Milan," she said in surprise, going wide eyed.

"Positive," Tres said flatly.

"What's her Eminence like?" Luci mused, scooting a little closer to him. "I've heard she's a real taskmaster, is that true?"

"Lady Caterina Sforza has very little operatives unlike Cardinal Francesco di Medici who controls the much larger Inquisitorial Department," Tres stated as Luci continued to listen intently. "Everyone in the AX has to pull extra weight to make up for that fact. Therefore one person can be given multiple orders to be carried out in one mission alone."

"Well, that's understandable," she hummed, scratching the side of her face. "Father Iqus, can you do me a favor?"

"What is the favor, Ms. Lucille Furr," he asked, watching her stand up and half ran and half walked to her easel and paper.

"Can I draw you? I need a priest to complete a picture I'm working on for one of the churches on the northern side of the city. Do you mind if I did," she asked, opening the large pad of paper and showed Tres the picture.

Tres looked at the picture in her hands. It was done in nothing more than plain pencil. The shadows were placed perfectly making the children, church, plants, stairs, and street look almost real. There was only one area where the there was no markings of any kind on the paper. It was just a little off center to the right where the priest should be. The all over picture was to be of a priest sitting on the steps of the church surrounded by children telling them Bible stories.

"Permission granted," Tres said as Luci squealed with delight.

"Thank you, thank you," Luci exclaimed.

* * *

(7 hours later)

" Leon, have you seen Gunslinger," Abel asked, walking up to Leon who was firing a gun at target.

"No, I haven't. Why?" Leon asked, never looking at Abel as he fired off another round.

"We were out in the city a few hours ago when he disappeared. I went looking for him but I couldn't find him," Abel said as Leon reloaded his gun.

"Well, don't worry about it, four-eyes, Caterina probably gave him a small task to do or something like that," Leon said, going back to his target practice.

"Abel, are you looking for Father Tres?" Esther asked, walking toward him. "I saw him heading up to the Professor's office."

"Thanks, Esther," Abel said, quickly running off.

* * *

Tres walked down the lit halls leading to the Professor's office. There had to be something wrong with one of his operating systems. A defendant glitch had to be somewhere. Why else would he follow her to her house, sit down with her, have conversational talk, and let her draw him? There was a problem somewhere. Tres finally neared William's office.

"Father Wordsworth," Tres spoke as he stood in door of the small library William called an office.

"Oh, Father Tres, come in," William said, looking up from one of his many books on his desk. "So, what brings you here this fine evening?"

"I need you to run a diagnostics check on my operating systems," Tres replied as William looked a little puzzled.

"But I just gave you a maintenance check two days ago. Why didn't you report any known glitches to me then," William asked, getting up from his seat and walked over to a closet and opened the door.

"Because there were no known glitches at that time to report, Professor," Tres said, watching William pulled out a large cart with computer on it with tool bag on the bottom shelf.

"You know sometimes you sound a little sarcastic," William sighed, pushing the heavy cart over to a chair and a plug outlet. "C'mon over here, Tres."

Tres sat down in the chair as the Professor plugged the computer into wall and fiddled with the other wires. Tres removed his cloak and then unzipped the front his robes, so William could get to the ports located in the back of his neck. William booted up the computer, just as hurried footsteps were heard coming towards his office.

"Professor," a voice called out.

"I'm in here, Abel," William said, connecting Tres to the computer.

"Professor, have you se—never mind," Abel said, stopping in the door looking at Tres sitting in the chair hooked to a computer. "Father Tres, I went looking for you this afternoon. Where'd you disappear to, huh?"

"I followed a young woman named Lucille Samantha Furr to her home and I was invited inside to talk. She called herself Luci Furr for short." Tres said as an eerie silence filled the room other than sounds of a running computer.

Slowly the sounds of suppressed giggles and chuckles could be heard coming out of the Crusnik and the Professor. Then, suddenly, as quickly it had grown quiet, loud booming laughter filled the room, and echoed down the halls as the men hit the floor, rolling. This was too rich! Caterina or maybe even Kate put him up to this. That was a very good joke!

"AHAHAHAHA! That w-was a good one, Tres! HAHAHA!" Abel bellowed in laughter, taking off his glass to keep the tears off them as he lied sprawled out on the floor. "**SNORT!** HAHA! You almost ha-had me! **SNORT!** AHAHAHA!"

"HEHEHEHEHAHAHA! **SNORT!** Who put y-you up to this leh-little joke?! What a riot! BWAHAHAHAHA!" William guffawed, wiping tears from his eyes, trying to sit back up. "AHAHA! Honestly, 'Luci Furr!' **SNORT!** HEHEHAHAHA!"

"This was not a staged event and I was put up by no one," Tres said only resulting in his fellow priests to laugh harder. "That is why I wanted the diagnostics check on my operating systems. There was no known reason for me to follow after Ms. Furr; therefore, a glitch in my programming must be present."

"AHAHAHA! Tres, you're only making us laugh harder—Uh oh," Abel said a little worried, suddenly getting up in hurry, holding his legs together tightly. "Excuse me!"

"AHAHAHA! Abel, you wet your pants! HEHEHEHEAHAHAHA!" William shouted as Abel ran out of the room in a hurry.

"OH, be quiet," Abel's embarrassed voice echoed down the hall.

"Professor, will you please refrain from laughing and run the diagnostics check on my operating systems," Tres said as William pulled himself off the floor, using Tres' chair for support and clicked the enter button to run the diagnostics check.

"C'mon, Father Tres, **snicker** who came up with this idea Kate or Caterina maybe Leon? Hehehe…" William chuckled, wiping more tears from his eyes watching the screen as the program went through all the program files.

"I repeat my previous statement: This was not a staged event and I was put up by no one," Tres said as William continued laughing.

"You really expect me to believe you just followed some young lady to her home and had a conversation with her," the Professor grinned widely. "If that's not joke, what is? What kind of talks did you have? _This is going to be good I just know it!_"

"Ms. Lucille Samantha Furr and I talked about many things ranging from what Caterina is like to fine art," Tres said and William still could not believe him one bit. "She wanted to draw me for a picture for Saint Bernadette Church. She said the picture should be hanging in the entrance hall of Saint Bernadette within the next two weeks."

"Right," William hummed, rolled his eyes.

"You do not believe me?"

"No, I don't, Tres."

Tres then reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of thick sketch paper. William took it from his hands and opened it to see different concept drawings of Tres at different angles and expressions that looked alien on Tres' face, such as a happy smile. William stopped laughing and looked totally mortified, even going as far as to hold the paper out away from himself in shock. He quickly folded the paper back up and gave it back to Tres.

"Okay, let's see if we can debug you," William said, quickly getting to work.

* * *

45 minutes later every single one of Tres' programs were scanned for any bugs; glitches to viruses and came up with nothing. Everything was running smoothly with not even so much as a hiccup. But if what Tres was saying was correct then there was something else going on. Father Nightroad had returned 20 minutes earlier with a new set of clothes on and giggles still in his throat.

"Well, Tres, I ran every program through the scanning system and everything is working at 100 percent. There are no glitches and no viruses," William said, scratching the back of his head. "Now as to why you followed Ms. Furr today is still a mystery to me and to yourself apparently. Can you come up with any reason as to why you followed her?"

"Negative," Tres replied.

"What I want to know is just before wandering off you stated that conversational talk was never programmed into your mainframe, so how come you could have a conversational talk with Ms. Furr and not me?" Abel asked, looking at Tres quizzically.

"Unable to verify," he stated as Abel shook his head and moaned.

"I've got a headache," William muttered rubbing the sides of his head in frustration. "So, have NO idea, Tres?"

"Positive."

"Oh, fine. I'm going to bed. We'll talk about this later it going on 12 in the morning," William said, stifling a yawn. "I'll see you later. Night."

"G'night, Professor," Abel said as William walked out of the room. "I'm hitting the sack too. See you later, Tres."

Tres was now left alone in William's office. The lights were still on but silence filled the corridor the office was set in. Tres straitened up his clothes and put back on his cloak. He stood up and started towards the door but stopped. And reached into his pocket and pulled the drawings again.

What was it about her? She was just human, nothing special about her and he himself was a machine, but yet he wanted to follow her in fact he wanted to see her again. But why? He couldn't answer that question. He folded the paper up again and put it back in his pocket. He turned off the lights and started down the long corridor.

* * *

The following day Abel and William followed Tres from far away. He had been behaving most peculiar since last night when he returned and asked to have that diagnostic check. For the first time they noticed Tres was actually spacing out at times and nearly ran into a couple of walls and a few people as well, including the young Pope. He also kept pulling out the drawings done by Ms. Furr and would look over them for minutes like he was looking at them for the first time. Needless to say the Crusnik and the Professor were a little dumbfounded.

They followed Tres all morning until he finally left the Vatican grounds. They decided to follow him to see where he went. Perhaps he would lead them to this Ms. Lucille Samantha Furr. They were both curious to know what the woman looked like and why Tres was interested in her to follow her.

"This is where we were when he disappeared yesterday," Abel said, walking beside William just keeping Tres in sight. "I looked up and noticed he was gone."

"Then he might just be leading us to Ms. Furr," William said with a smile of curiosity. "I've been trying to wrap my mind around why he we follow some random girl and I have come up no explanation. Perhaps seeing the woman may give us a clue."

"If you say so, Professor," Abel said, as they cut a corner.

A few blocks later Tres stopped at Ms. Furr's place of residence and then walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Abel and William waited with baited breath as they stood behind a building, keeping out of sight. They watched as the wooden door opened to reveal a woman with short, curly, auburn hair, small stature, and a child like appearance. She had a smile on her face and a purse on her shoulder. She walked onto the stoop beside Tres before closing and locking her door.

"So, that's Ms. Furr," Abel mused, watching the two walk off the steps. "She's really cute, isn't she, Professor?"

"Undeca," William said quietly.

"What," Abel asked, looking at William oddly.

"Undeca Iqus was to be number of 11 of the 'killing dolls' but was never finished. Ms. Furr is the spitting image of her," William said quietly. "All that was completed was her body and only the basic operating system. She could not function on her own, her learning program was never installed, motor-skills were very basic and stiff, speech was very artificial sounding, any AI was virtually not existent, and just most every thing was left out because the 'dolls' were to be destroyed before she could be finished. She was nothing like her predecessors. She was like the old robots that needed to be told what do constantly just to function."

"I see, but even if this is the case why was Tres so intent on following her, and then tell us that he has no idea why he followed her in the first place," Abel asked as he and William followed the pair down the snowy street. "I mean, he must know that's not Undeca."

"Well, if my memory severs me correct, Tres, when not out on duty, was always by her side telling her how to function. He was like Undeca's mentor and even became protective of her," William said, lighting his pipe. "Tres and Duo were the only ones left or so we thought at first. Later we discovered they hid Undeca to protect her from going to the scrapheap. Tres went with me for protection to dismantle her. I thought she was one of the fully functioning androids but soon discovered she was not."

"How did Tres take it?" Abel asked, watching Tres and Luci walk and talk down the street. "You did say he became protective of her, right?"

"Oh, most defiantly. Tres had been ordered to protect her and now he was ordered to dismantle her. He seemed to become disoriented about it and hesitant, too," the Professor sighed as the odd couple before them ducked into a small gift shop. "He knew he had his orders but he actually turned to me and I quote, 'Undeca Iqus is not a threat and therefore should not be dismantled.'"

"He actually asked you to spare her?" Abel asked his mouth hung open a little. "You're pulling my leg."

"I kid you not, Abel. Tres even went as far as to ask Lady Caterina if it was possible to preserve Undeca but Caterina denied him that request. So, she was dismantled by me as Tres guarded the room. He never even turned around to even look at her as I took her apart," William sat down on a street bench with Abel as they waited for Tres and Luci to come out of the shop. "He knows Undeca no longer exists but something in his programming or memory must have seen Ms. Furr as Undeca."

"I think I understand now. Like you said he saw Ms. Furr as Undeca even knowing that she no longer existed, and because of that he must have become confused," Abel stated, sounding a little proud of himself. "That's why he asked to have that diagnostic check. He knew there was no reason for him to follow her like he did. He even said that himself. That also explains why we didn't find a glitch."

"Glad you figured that out all by yourself," William said sarcastically as Abel gave him an evil glare. "Oh, come off it. Anyway, we know why Tres has been acting the way he has. On some level he sees Ms. Furr as Undeca."

"Yeah… Hey, William," Abel asked, turning to look at his partner smoke his pipe.

"Yes, Abel," he replied flatly, puffing out a little smoke.

"You don't think Tres loves Ms. Furr, do you," Abel asked as William turned his head ever so slowly to look at Abel with an odd expression on his face.

"What?" was all the Professor could get out of his mouth.

"I'm just saying if Tres went as far as to ask Caterina to save Undeca don't think you there was something a little more than just the original orders to protect her?" Abel asked as William chewed lightly on the mouth piece of his pipe. "You yourself knew he had his orders to help in dismantling her but he took no actual part in it. He then for some 'unknown reason' followed Ms. Furr, let her draw him, and now they're out shopping together. Don't you think there is just something a little out of place? Face it Father Tres had a thing of Undeca and Ms. Furr is the new replacement."

"How many cups of tea did you have this morning?" William asked.

"3 cups of tea and 1 coffee. I managed to talk Esther into letting me have a cup of her tea after Kate had already given me 2," Abel stated. " And I kinda stole Vaclav's cup of coffee when he wasn't looking."

"Tea and coffee; decaf or regular?"

"All regular with milk and 13 sugars in each cup as usual. Why?"

"So that adds up to 4 caffeinated drinks and 52 spoons of sugar. I'm surprised you're not flying around Rome laughing like a maniac on LSD," William stated as Abel gave him a disbelieving look that he would say such a thing. "But that does explain why you think Tres is in love. All that caffeine and sugar has gone your head, making you think up some crazy I don't know what stuff and I don't want to know what stuff. Lay off the caffeine and sugar next time."

"You think I'm on a sugar high," Abel said as his blue eyes wide in shock.

"Yes, I do. You may come up with some pretty strange ideas but they're down to earth ideas. Not what your insisting right now," William puffed on his pipe. "Tres is an android, Abel, we both know that. He feels no emotion what so ever. He's a killing machine hence 'killing doll.' What on God's green earth makes think Father Tres can feel emotions?"

"YOU said he did ask Caterina to spare Undeca and that he would take no part in dismantling her. Also there was the time with Elise where he told us he was out of ammo and come to find out he was still packing," Abel stated, shaking a finger at William. "Now you tell me if you don't think on some miniscule level that Father Tres may in fact be learning human emotions. He had a learning program installed, right? So what's to say he's not slowly learning human feelings?"

There was no response from William after Abel presented his statement to him. Abel had a hard statement to disprove. Tres would do things that were indeed human in nature but he always thought of as Tres' AI programming and nothing more. Some things indeed could be attributed to the AI program, but, like with Elise he had tried to kill her earlier, then suddenly refused the order for some strange reason and spared her life. Then sometimes he would sound a little sarcastic, like last night not for instance, when he made that little statement about not finding any glitches to report. But he just could not image Father Tres having those feeling no matter what.

Abel tapped William on shoulder stirring him from his thoughts. Tres and Luci walked out the shop with a coupled of small red gift bags. They stopped for a moment to talk to each other. Then they turned to walk down the street and they watched as Tres reached out his left hand and snatched Luci's right hand in his. He ever laced his finger in between her fingers as they walked.

Abel and William looked on in total disbelief as the two of them moved away into the crowed. William's pipe slipped out of his ajar mouth, spilling the hot tobacco embers into his lap. It took a couple of moments to register a heavy smoke smell and a very hot sensation on the top of his thighs.

"I'm on fire," William shouted, hitting his smoking robe in desperation to put it out.

William quickly stood up and brushed off the hot embers as Abel grabbed handfuls of snow and started throwing them on the burning clothing. The unusual scene caught the attention of just about everyone around them as the two idiot priests tried to put out the smoking clothes.

In a rushed to put out the fire Abel grabbed one fist full of snow little too hard, packing it down in his hand, making a small but hard snowball. He threw the small ball at William not even noticing what he had done until he noticed William went down on the ground holding his legs pressed together, tightly, whimpering, and also curling into the fetal position.

"Oops," Abe said sheepishly. "I totally didn't mean to do that, William."

"A-Abel," he squeaked out, opening one tear filled eye. "Shut up!"

"Well, the good news is you're not going to use them anytime soon anyway," Abel laughed awkwardly as William sat up and lunged at him. "WAAAAH!"

"Abel, get back here!" the Professor yelled still squeaking as he limped after Abel down the snowy street. "I'm going to kill you!"

"WAAAAAAH! I'M SORRY, PROFESSOR!"

"GET BACK HERE! AAAAABEL!"

(A/N That was chapter one. So how was it? Any good? Well, review please if you did like it. Thank you.)

Millie M. Banshee


	2. Blood and Oil

"I Wish…"

Chapter 2

Blood and Oil

(A/N Yes, here it is chapter 2! I hope you enjoy this one. I'm sorry it took soooo long!)

**SOUNDS/sounds**

_Thoughts_

* * *

Tres and Luci stopped after hearing screaming and yelling a ways behind them. Luci turned around to see what was going on as Tres only listened still looking straight ahead. She tried to focus her eyes the best she could over the crowd to see barely making out two priests running around a bench like two chickens with their heads cut off; both screaming and yelling at each other. 

"What's that all about I wonder," Luci said, turning back around.

"Nothing important," Tres replied as they started to move again. "Just two idiots."

"Oh, okay," Luci said, brushing off the odd sight, before turning to Tres. "So, Father Iqus, why did you want to go shopping with me today?"

"I wanted see you again," he said truthfully as Luci blinked, stunned by his response.

"Y-you did," her voice cracked a little to bring out the bewildered words. "Why did you want to see me again, Father?"

"Unable to verify," he replied as she gave him strange look.

"Oh, okay," she said with a weak smile. _'Unable to verify?' That's a weird way to reply._

"Where else do you need to continue on to," he asked.

"I need to make a small trip to the grocery store. I need to pick up some items for Christmas dinner," she answered him. "My parents and little brother we be coming for dinner. They're in Albion right now but they'll be here by Christmas evening. I thought I might cook something instead of taking them out."

"That sounds nice," Tres said, turning to look at her.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me, Father," She smiled, turn down a block. "I might need some help this evening. Do you mind staying with me that long though?"

"I have nothing planned for this evening, Ms. Furr," he deadpanned. "I would like to assist you."

"Oh, great! Thank you so much," she piped happily as they came to the grocery story.

* * *

William just glared at Abel as they walked down the snowy streets walking away from the police. The fight between them lasted for about 5 minutes before the police actually showed up to break them apart. In fact both of them ended up getting a ticket for disorderly conduct in the street and disturbing the peace. Caterina wasn't going to like this bit of news at all. 

They tried to talk their way out of the tickets even showing the officers their AX Deputy Enforcer ID cards. That didn't work either. They even explained to officers what happened and how this whole mess got started but all that did was cause the officers to laugh at them and they still got stuck with the tickets.

"William, I'm sorry about that, really I am," Abel whined as his fellow priest glared daggers at him. "I thought it would help if we explained what happened. I didn't mean for them to laugh at you."

"Oh, just be quiet," William snorted, walking with an odd limp. "Besides we lost Tres and Ms. Furr, so we might as well head back to the Vatican for now."

"Or we can go back to her place and wait for them there," Abel beamed but was quickly shot down by a glare from William. "Why not, Professor? I mean they're bound to go back there sooner or later."

"Abel, I'm in pain here plus we have to show these to the dear Caterina," William growled through his teeth, waving his ticket in Abel's face. "Please I would just like to rest for a little while. Maybe later this evening we might continue, assuming Caterina doesn't suspend us or kill us when we tell her."

"All the more reason to wait," Abel grinned as William groaned.

"How is that going help," William drawled, pocketing his ticket. "The longer we wait the harsher she'll be on us!"

"Yeah, but we'll live a little bit longer," Abel chirped as William raised a fist. "Now, Professor, the police are still over there!"

William flung his arm back down to his side and started to stump off with Abel in tow. They were heading back to Ms. Furr's home to wait for them. All William wanted to do was just lay down not only because was he sore in that particular area but his head was throbbing as well after fighting with Abel. This was going to be a very long day.

* * *

It was getting near dark now and two priests still waited for Gunslinger and Ms. Furr to return hope. The snow had started to come down again and the two men shivered as the snow only got heavier and sky ever darker. 

"Abel, I-I'm going back to the V-Vatican," William moaned, looking over at Abel. "I'm t-too cold to be st-staying out here l-like this any l-longer. You c-can stay if you want b-but I'm going."

"Th-they could be coming b-back any moment n-now," Abe replied with a shiver. "Just w-wait a couple more m-minutes."

"Never mind, we're b-both go back," William snapped, grabbing Abel's hand and pulled him off the bench. "We're both t-too cold to st-stay and i-it's getting darker b-by the minute, Abel. W-we'll catch our d-death out here!"

Abel sighed but knew William was right. He quickly started to follow his fellow priest back to the warm Vatican. But no sooner had the twosome left the area did Tres and Luci turn the corner. Bags in their hands loaded with many different things ranging from decorations, to food, and to more gifts.

They walked up to the snowy steps of her house. She set her loaded bags down the small porch and pulled out her keys. She unlocked the door, opened the door, and turned on the light. The two then walked inside and set the bags down on the kitchen table.

"Sorry, it took so long with the shopping," Luci grinned sheepishly pulling out pulling some canned vegetables out. "I didn't mean for you to stay this long."

"I am perfectly fine," Tres said, pulling out some foodstuff from the bags. "I repeat my previous statement: I have nothing planned for this evening. I will stay for as long as you acquire my assistance."

"Thanks, Father," she said, putting the frozen goods in the ice chest. "So, you won't mind helping me put some of the decorations after we put away the food?"

"Negative, I don't mind," he answered.

"Do you want something to eat or drink," she asked, pulling out a cheese ball and some crackers. "You haven't had anything all day."

"No thank you," he said, putting away the last of the food.

"Are you sure," she asked again a little worried. "It's not good to go that long without food or drink."

"I am not hungry or thirsty, Ms. Furr," he replied shaking his head.

"Alright," She said, putting way the cheese ball and cracker before making a pot of water for some tea. "While that gets hot let get some these decorations up."

"Where should we begin," he asked as she pondered for a moment or two.

"Let's start at the front door and work our way into the room," she said, pulling the new wreath and garland out of one of the bags. "Can hang the wreath on the outside of the door and put the garland around the stair railing both inside and out for me?

"Positive." Tres nodded walking the front door.

"I'm going up to the attic to get tree down," said, walking up stairs. "I'll be back in little bit."

Tres stepped outside and placed the wreath on the door and wrapped the garland around the iron stair railings outside as ordered and even tied them off in bows. He then walked back inside and did the same with the other stair railing. He could hear her stumbling up stairs fussing and knocking things over.

He waited a couple of seconds before going up to see if she needed any help. He started walked down the end of the all where he saw a latter coming out of the ceiling leading to the attic. He could make out her legs as she struggled with the tree.

* * *

Luci had some trouble getting to the tree in the back. The attic was dark even when the small light that hung from the dusty rafters. She finally found it covered in an old red comforter. She pushed boxes out the way to clear a path. She finally reached the tree and pulled the comforter off and folded it before putting it on some old boxes. She grabbed hold of the tree and started to pull it towards the latter, careful not step on the lower branches that had lights on them. 

But just as she almost made to latter the electric cord from the tree came loose from the trunk and got tangled around her ankle unknowingly. She was just about step down the top the tree got stuck in the rafters. She heard Tres coming up the steps and walk towards her. She needed help getting the tree unstuck. She took a step down but as she went to step down another the cord tightened around her ankle, catching her completely unaware and she began to fall.

"AAAAAAAGH!" She screamed as she began to fall down through the small opening in the ceiling.

Tres quickly ran towards her as he heard her head hit the ceiling. He reached her as her entire body fell through the small opening. He quickly caught her before she hit the blue carpeted floor. He quickly undid her foot from the cord and sat her up strait.

"Ms. Lucille Samantha Furr, damage report," Tres asked, actually sounding worried.

"My h-head," she moaned, rubbing the back of her head. "OW! We'll I'm not bleeding."

"Do you feel like you may have a concussion," he asked, still hold into her.

"I think I just knocked myself hard is all," she responded, still rubbing her head. "Thank you for saving me, Father Tres."

"I will take you downstairs so we may apply ice to your head," he said, helping her to her feet.

She wobbled and fell back into him, blushing a little. He wrapped an arm around her and walked her back down stairs to the living room and set her down on the sofa. He took grab and clean dishtowel and put some ice in it. He started back into the living we he saw her pot to boiling. He took a cup out of the cabinet and poured the hot water in mug and then put in the tea bag and couple spoons of sugar. He set down the cup of hot tea on the coffee table in front her before handing her the ice. She smiled at him as put the ice on her head.

"Thank you," she grinned painfully, reaching for her cup of hot tea.

"I shall get the tree down," he said, walking up the steps.

She listened to him pulled the tree down the metal latter and into the hallway. She could help but feel her heart race in chest after little scare but he heart only pounded harder when she landed into his arms. She could still feel her face feeling a little hot. Tres carried the tree the stairs and stopped in front of her.

"Ms. Furr where do you want this placed at," He asked.

"Uh, oh, over there in front the bay window," she said, pointing at the front window. "Just push back the curtains."

"Is this right," he asked setting the tree down and pulled the curtains back.

"Yes, that's just fine. I'll got get the new decorations," she said, standing up but quickly fell back into soft couch cushions.

"Negative, you will remain were you are," he ordered, walking back towards her. "You are in on condition to move at this time. I shall retrieve the decorations and finish the decorating. You will conduct me in how you wish to have the room decorated."

"Father, I can't let you do all by yourself," she said, getting back up as he put a hand on her shoulder and gently set her back down. "That's a lot of work for one person and it's almost 9 O'clock!"

"I do not mind," he said, putting the ice back on her head. "You need to keep that on your head to reduce the swelling."

"Yeah, but—" she was cut off he placed a finger in her lips.

"I am fine," he said, walking over the bags on the floor. "Give me your orders."

She just smiled as he started pulled out more garland and some ointments.

* * *

Abel and William walked out the Caterina's office with their ears ringing thanks to her yelling. Caterina, as William had warned, was very anger about being told long after they were handed the tickets. They were not check tickets either. Abel was now penniless for 5 months and William's funding for any new experiments were cut for the next 2 months. And to add to salt the wound Caterina forbade them to go out of the Vatican grounds unless sent on mission for the next two weeks. 

"I warned you but you didn't listen," William moaned, walking beside Abel. "Didn't I say we should go back to the Vatican the moment we got the tickets? Didn't I say that, Abel?"

"Yes, yes, I hear you," Abel grumbled, looking down at the floor.

"Good, now it's almost 9:30 and I'm going to bed," William sighed. "I'll see in the morning."

"Tres isn't back yet," Abel said, turning to look at William as William's eye twitched in aggregation. "I wonder what's keeping him."

"I frankly don't care anymore," He bit out, glaring back at Father Four-eyes. "And it's not like we're going anywhere. We can't leave the grounds. Merry Christmas and G'night, Abel."

William watched as devilish grin spread across Abel's face. William didn't like that look at all. He knew that his fellow priest was up to something and something he didn't like. William weakly grinned at Abel and slowly backed up as Abel advanced on him.

"Now, Abel, whatever you're thinking it isn't going work and I AM most certainly NOT having ANY part in it," William told flat out but Abel just continued to grin and placed a hand on William's shoulder. "Abel, no! We're not going running off the grounds just go to spy on Gunslinger and Ms. Furr!"

"I didn't say anything about running off the grounds, now, did I?" Abel's grin only widened as fangs started to grow over his bottom lip.

"Oh, no…" William whined.

* * *

It was now 11 O'clock at night and Tres had just finished putting up the decoration. Luci was surprised just how quick Tres could get work done. He didn't so perfectly and without fail it was a little scary. 

Tres bid her good night and left. Luci sigh not that the house was quiet and empty. She missed his company. She almost got up tell to stay for night but knew it was best to let the Father leave. She slumped down her sofa and looked at the tree Tres had just finished decorating with pretty glass ornaments in the shape of stars, angles, ice sickles, and bells.

She was about to go to bed when she spotted something on her table. It was a white rosary that had fallen out his pocket and he put it on the table whey he was picking up trash. She quickly snatched ii up before putting on her coat and scarf. It would give her an excuse to follow him.

She walked out onto her small deck and locked the door before following his footprints left in the snow. She would have to hurry to catch up to him. The snow was coming down fast and quickly filling in his foot prints. She walked off down her steps when she spotted two men not far from her house. She couldn't see in the dim light just who they were, but she wished they would stay their distance.

* * *

(12 Minutes Prior) 

Abel and William waited for it to quiet down at the Vatican before leaving. They waited until the buildings closed down for the night so that there would be less light in the area. They had to stick to the shadows as they climbed up to the roof. William had a bad feeling about this whole thing. Abel transformed himself and spread his wings out wide. Now he knew this was a bad idea.

William clung tightly to Abel as they soared high over the Vatican. This was not a good thing to be doing. If Caterina ever found about this… Uh, William didn't even what think about it. He bit his lip to keep from screaming as Abel glided through the snowy sky silently and gracefully, keeping a good strong grip on the scared William.

When they finally cleared the walls William wanted to be put down right then and there but Abel was going to take them straight to Ms. Furr's just like they were now to keep any other church officials from spotting them.

"Okay, that was good! Can we stop now," William whimpered, clinging on for dear life. "Okay, Abel, just how far are you paining on taking us up here, huh?"

"Just until we get to Ms. Furr's," he said as a gust of wind picked up carrying him higher. "We don't want to be caught."

"Abel, please, I really don't like this," William gulped looking at how high up he was. "We're very high up now and it's really cold!"

"We're almost there," he said, suddenly making a dive.

William bit down hard on his lip as he held onto Abel around his neck as Abel held on to him. He then straightened up from a nose dive to land quietly in the snow on his feet. They both quickly let go of each other. They were a little too close for each others liking to say the least. The porch had changed since that last time they were there and they could see a tree in the window that wasn't there before.

"Looks like they're back," Abel said, putting back on his glasses as his eyes turn blue again.

"That's great. Now we know they're back isn't that enough," William asked, rubbing his cold hands together. "Let's head back before we discovered missing."

"Where's your sense of adventure this fine Christmas Eve, Father," Abel smiled as William groaned.

"It went bye, bye after we were handed those nice tickets," the Professor snorted, crossing his arms. "For the last time let's head back!"

"I have to know what's going between them," Abel said in a chirpy voice. "I mean Tres has never done anything like this before and I just have to see how this all works out!"

"You're a hopeless romantic, aren't you," William asked as Abel nodded his head wildly before he heard the door open. "What's this now?"

The two turned to see Ms. Furr walking out of her house but she stopped momentarily to look at them. She looked nervous after spotting them and she quickly hurried down the sidewalk away from them. They wandered where Tres had gone off to, and why she was out so late. It was getting close midnight now.

The two decided to follow her quietly and to keep their distance not to scare her. She was alone after all at night. Christmas or not it was not a good time for a young lady to be walking by herself so if nothing else they to followed to keep her safe. It turned out to be a very good idea. Up head they heard gunfire it sounded like Gunslinger's.

The two priests quickly picked up their pace just as they saw Tres get thrown out of an alleyway. Luci let out a scream of terror and worry as she watched Tres landed hard on the snowy ground, rolling and skidding across the snow covered pavement.

"Father Tres," she screamed running towards him as he got up and looked at her.

"STAY BACK," he shouted at her, picking one of his guns out of the snow.

"SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE!" a young child yelled from the alley Tres had just gotten knocked out of. "HELP MEEEEE!"

"Oh, no, a child," Abel shouted running pass Luci with William right behind him. "Tres, status report! What is the situation!"

"Unknown male vampire attacker with a child hostage," Tres said, turn back towards the dark ally. " Battle engaged 300 seconds ago. Powers unknown believed to have telekinesis."

"Then that's going to make it hard to get to him or his hostage," William stated. "Idea's anyone?"

"We'll make them up as we go along," Abel said, hearing the child scream again and pulled out his pistol. "We don't have time! Let's move out!"

"Father Tres," Luci called out as Tres stopped and looked at her just as he entered the alleyway again.

"Stay where you are," he said as she started walking towards him. "Ms. Lucille Samantha Furr, stop where you are and return home!"

She didn't heed his words and started towards him even faster. There was something very wrong. There was no way Tres could be standing after that tumble and what should have been blood didn't look that much like blood. She stopped before him and reached up on his head where it looked like he was bleeding. It wasn't sticky like blood should be and it slick like oil and even looked like oil that was dye red to give illusion of blood.

"TRES, WE COULD USE SOME HELP HERE," Abel yelled as he got slammed into the wall. "UGH! TREEEESSSS!"

"This is oil," she said, looking at the slick liquid that ran down her finger. "Y-you're not human…"

Tres said nothing but looked her, before casting his eyes down the ground.

"What are you," she asked, taking a step back. "What are you, Father?"

"I am a machine," he stated as her eyes widened in surprise.

"AAAAAAGH!" William yelled, getting slammed to ground but an unseen force.

"William," Abel shouted, running over to him. "TRES! William, can you move?"

"I think a rib is broken," he wheezed, holding unto his right side of his chest. "And the wind was knocked out me but I think that's the worst of it."

"HELP ME!" the child screamed again in tears as the vampire grab hold of him and started to walk off. "LET ME GO! MAMA, HELP!"

"Shut up, you little brat," the vampire snapped, hitting the kid in the face.

**BAAAANG!**

A silver built whizzed by vampire's head. He stopped and turned around to see Tres and Luci standing in the entrance way of the alley. He snarled and threw the little boy on the ground. Who was this guy? How could he get up and still move after that throw? Objects in the area lifted off the ground and headed strait at them.

Tres quickly got in front of Luci and took on the brunt of what the vampire through at him from bricks, to metal pipe, trash, and trash cans. He held onto Luci tight to keep the objects from hitting her. The assault continued until Abel took fire at the vampire hitting him in the shoulder.

"That's enough," Abel shouted, holding his pistol right at the vampires head. "I'm placing you under arrest for kidnapping, theft of blood, and assault on deputy enforcers and bystanders."

"Bastard!" the vampire snapped, sending a brick at Abel who caught with one hand. "What the hell?"

"Please come quietly," Abel said, crushing the brick in his hand. "Let's make it easy on all of us!"

"The hell I will," he said, tearing Luci from Tres' arms.

"Father," she screamed as Tres reached for her. "AAAAGH!"

"Don't come any closer, Priest, or whatever you are, or this young lady and this brat becomes my dinner," the vampire growled, stomping hard on the grounded boy and dug his talons into Luci's neck. "You're choice, you bastard!"

"Damn you," Abel said, glaring the vampire. "Last warning!"

"ASSHOLE," Luci snapped kicking back with her boot landing her heeling the vampire's groin.

"Bitch," the vampire whimpered, letting go of her as he stumble back holding his legs close together. "You'll pay for that!

"Let's get out of here," Luci said, grabbing the boy's hand.

"WAAAAH!" the little boy cried as Luci started running with him.

**BAAAANG! BAAAANG!**

Tres let off two more rounds at the vampire one aim for his head the other at his heart. But just as bullets made it within 3 inches to his head and his heart they stopped dead. He sent them back at Tres with more than they were sent at him.

"TRES," Luci screamed letting go of the child's hand and ran to Tres.

"MS. LUCI," He said with surprise as a bullet hit her the chest and the other hit her lower spin.

"Oh, no!" William shouted.

Ms. Furr, no" Abel screamed as Tres caught her before she fell.

"I'll kill, you both," the vampire hollered, sending a metal pipe at Luci and Tres. "Now die!"

"TRES, RUN!" Abel shouted but it was too late.

The pipe pierced through Luci's chest and stuck out Tres' back side. They both stumbled back from the force but Tres kept his balance. Tres looked look down at the woman in arm was pinned to him. Her face buried in his chest and she wasn't moving. He shook her gently but she didn't move. He saw the snowy ground turned two different shades of red. Both blood and oil mixed together in a large pool a their feet.

Tres grabbed hold of the pipe and pulled it out with some effort. Luci slid to the ground with a thump. Tres knelt down and closed her eyes. The vampire just growled after seeing Tres was still alive, holding the pipe in his hands before throwing it to ground. Tres glared at the vampire.

"DAMN WHAT ARE YOU?" the vampire hissed. "A MACHINE?"

"Positive," Tres said, holding his guns out at the vampire. "Crusnik, you and me."

"Huh? Oh, right," Abel nodded, taking off his glasses. "Professor, get over to Ms. Furr and the child. We'll handle this from here."

"Will do," William said, painfully getting up and hurried over to Luci. "Tres, I'm sorry."

Tres said nothing to William as he picked Luci up and moved over to frightened child. Tres was intent on killing this vampire that was for sure. Perhaps Abel was right after all. Tres, although a machine, seemed to have a personality, a spirit of his own at times. He didn't understand much himself but that was what defined Tres. Made him who he was and now Tres was out for revenge.

(A/N Longer chapter than planned but I hope that makes up for taking so long. Please review. Also if the reviewer DrLyzerg would please give his email address when he reviews I might be able to answer his/her questions about Animazement of 2007 when I cosplayed Father Tres Iqus.)

Millie M. Banshee


	3. I Wish

"I Wish…"

Chapter 3

"I Wish…"

(A/N this is the conclusion of "I wish". I hope you all enjoy this it has a nice little surprise in it. Trust me it just may be very well worth your time to read.)

**SOUND/sounds**

_Thoughts_

* * *

(Last Time)

"I'll kill, you both," the vampire hollered, sending a metal pipe at Luci and Tres. "Now die!"

"TRES, RUN!" Abel shouted but it was too late.

The pipe pierced through Luci's chest and stuck out Tres' back side. They both stumbled back from the force but Tres kept his balance. Tres looked down at the woman in his arm that was pinned to him. Her face was buried in his chest and she wasn't moving. He shook her gently but she didn't move. He saw the snowy ground turned two different shades of red. Both blood and oil mixed together in a large pool at their feet.

Tres grabbed hold of the pipe and pulled it out with some effort. Luci slid to the ground with a thump. Tres knelt down and closed her eyes. The vampire just growled after seeing Tres was still alive, holding the pipe in his hands before throwing it to ground. Tres glared at the vampire.

"DAMN WHAT ARE YOU?" the vampire hissed. "A MACHINE?"

"Positive," Tres said, holding his guns out at the vampire. "Crusnik, you and me."

"Huh? Oh, right," Abel nodded, taking off his glasses. "Professor, get over to Ms. Furr and the child. We'll handle this from here."

"Will do," William said, painfully getting up and hurried over to Luci. "Tres, I'm sorry."

Tres said nothing to William as he picked Luci up and moved over to the frightened child. Tres was intent on killing this vampire that was for sure. Perhaps Abel was right after all. Tres, although a machine, seemed to have a personality, a spirit of his own at times. He didn't understand much himself but that was what defined Tres. Made him who he is and now Tres was out for revenge.

* * *

(Present Time)

"So, it's just going to be you two then," The vampire snorted as Tres and Abel stopped about 12 feet from him. "Well, c'mon then! Don't keep me waiting all night!"

"Very well," Abel replied. "Nano-machine, Crusnik 02. Power output at 40 percent. Activate…"

Abel's eyes flashed to the color of blood, his hair unbound itself reaching up to the heavens, fangs grew from his mouth, his features darkened, and long, sharp talons tore through his gloves. The vampire took a step back his surprise as he mouth hung open.

"Tres, let's do this," the Crusnik said as the android nodded.

"Positive," Gunslinger replied, taking aim.

"What is this shit," the vampire bit out as he watched a large scythe materialize in Abel's hand. "I'll destroy you both!"

Tres said nothing as he started firing off his guns and the Crusnik charged the vampire with his scythe raised. The vampire quickly ran as Abel's scythe just missed him. Tres' guns stayed locked on the vampire but the vampire just barely stayed in front of the rain of silver bullets. The vampire kept running until Tres took a second or two to reload. He quickly sent Tres into a brick wall and tore the guns from his hands.

"You won't use these anymore," he said, crushing the guns into steel and silver balls of scrap with his mind and then sent them at the oncoming Crusnik. "Take this you freak!"

Abel dodged one and batted the other with his scythe back at the vampire. The vampire quickly ducked not wanting to get hit with the silver. The vampire quickly dodged again as Abel's scythe just nipped his shoulder. The vampire let out a small scream of pain and held onto his bleeding shoulder.

"You'll regret doing that to me," he growled, baring his fangs at Abel who only bared his longer fangs back. "You bastard!"

He sent a wave of telekinetic energy at Abel. Abel quickly put his scythe up as a barrier and focused some of his own powers into it to deflect the full onslaught. The vampire growled as he glared at Abel, putting his scythe back down to his side.

"Damn you," he snarled, picking heavy objects off the ground and started sending Abel's way. "HA! You can't block everything!"

The objects surrounded him like a vortex, hitting him from every angle. Abel crutched down and covered his head as he continued to get pounded. The vampire laughed as his attempted to protect himself. He was so enthralled with trying to kill Abel he forgot about the android.

Tres came up from behind him with his hands together and his fingers locked firmly together. He raised his hands over his head to hit the vampire in the back of his own head but the vampire quickly caught wind of him and turned around and kicked Tres back.

"I'll send you to the scrap heap next," the vampire snapped, before turning back to the Crusnik who was getting pounded into a bloody pulp.

"Nano-machine, ugh, Crusnik 02. Umph, Power output at, agh, 80 percent. Activate," Abel said as the objects stuck him continuously.

The vampire watched in amazement as a huge surge of electrical energy shot forth from Abel sending all of the offending objects back at him. There was no way to dodge them and he was sent back into the wall and repeatedly hit with the dangerous objects he had been using on Abel. The vampire fell back to the ground landing on his hands and knees as Abel stood up with his large wings spread out wide.

"Tres," the bleeding Crusnik said, reaching into his robe and pulled out his pistol. "Catch!"

Abel threw the gun at Tres who caught it with ease. He pointed it back at the bleeding vampire and fired off a round. The vampire nearly got hit but he defected the bullet a bare split second before impact, sending it strait at William and the screaming child. William quickly guarded the child's head as the bullet pierced his arm.

"AAAAAGH!" William screamed, grabbing hold of his arm as he slumped down to the ground followed by the boy.

"Mister, Mister, are you okay," the child asked his eyes wide with concern.

"I'm good. It's just a scratch," he winced as blood ran down his fingers and hand. "Nothing to worry about."

"But you're bleeding bad," the boy said, pointing at his arm.

"I'm okay," the Professor replied, trying to smile. "It'll be just fine."

They watched as Abel and Tres took on the vampire, finally getting the upper hand. The little boy then turned back to William.

"Mister, who is that man with the big black wings," the boy asked wide eyed.

"Oh, that's Father Abel," William said, looking down at the boy. "He may look mean and but he's really a nice guy. He's what we call a Crusnik you don't have anything to fear from him."

"Oh," the boy said, turning back to the fight. _This will turn out to be most interesting. The Lord was right about them. Can't wait to see how they do._

Abel sent a wave of electrical energy tearing through the vampire's telekinetic shield with ease, and sent the vampire down to the very end of the alley. Both priests took off after him before he could get up. The vampire looked to see Abel raise his scythe and bring it down into his middle and pinned him the ground and held him there. He then turned to Tres who was still holding the pistol at the vampire.

"Tres, he's all yours," Abel said as Tres pushed the hammer of the pistol down with his thumb.

"No, wait," the vampire pleaded, looking up Tres. "Please don't."

"Why," Tres asked his finger tight around the trigger. "You showed us no mercy. Why should we show you mercy?"

The vampire did not reply because he new the android was right. Why should they give him something he never gave to them? Tres stared down at him with the large pistol still pointed right at his head with Tres's finger twitching on the trigger.

"Are you not going to answer," Tres asked him. "Why should we show you mercy when you showed us none?"

"I, uh…" the vampire turned his eyes to the ground and mumbled something that neither Abel or Tres heard clearly.

"Repeat your pervious statement," Tres ordered.

"I have a family," he said, still looking down at the red tinted snow on the ground.

Abel turned to Tres and then back to the vampire. It was Tres's call. Tres started the fight, and Tres needed to finish it how he saw fit. Abel watched as Tres reached out with his free hand and grabbed hold of Abel's scythe by the long hilt and pulled the large blade out of the vampire's back.

"You are under arrest," Tres said as the vampire looked up at him in surprise. "On the charges of kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, resisting arrest, and the assault of deputy enforcers. Put your hands behind your hands behind your back. Do not attempt to retaliate or I will be forced to open fire."

Abel's red eyes widen with surprise that Tres was actually showing mercy to a vampire. He remembered when he did something like this with the young witch, Elise. He smiled slightly as Tres cuffed him with specially made cuffs just for Methuselahs. The vampire did not resist him as Tres pulled him to his feet and pushed him up against the back wall and patted him down for any hidden weapons or other illegal materials. The vampire was cooperating without any complaints.

The clock tower rang for the 12 O'clock hour as Tres began to lead him out of the alley, but not even half way through the vampire physically pushed Tres to the ground and took off out of sight down the streets. The Crusnik quickly helped the android back to his feet.

"Why didn't you shoot him," Abel asked as Tres handed him back the pistol.

"Your weapon was out of ammo," he said as Abel checked the chambers and discovered he was right. "Therefore I could not take action upon him."

"So, you were bluffing him," Abel asked his red eyes widened and his fanged mouth hung slack.

"Positive," Tres nodded as Abel started laughing and patted Tres on the shoulder.

"That was good, Tres," the crusnik grinned, which looked really kind of creep even to Tres. "Oh, man, you even had me going! Hahaha!"

"Not to interrupt your happy moment but we do have some other matters to take care of," William said, still holding onto his hurt arm.

The two turned to look at the people sitting on the ground. William was hurt, they needed to get the child home, and Ms. Furr was…

Tres froze when he saw the bloodied, limp body on the other side of William. Abel turned back to Tres and let out a long mournful sigh.

"I'm sorry about this, Tres," Abel said, pitying the android as he walked over to Luci.

He stopped in front her, got down on his knees, and pulled her body close to his. If Tres had been given the ability to cry he would have been. He closed his eyes and pulled her in closer. William painfully stood up taking the young boy with him. Abel and William exchanged saddened glances with each other. They had seen how much Tres had cared for her.

William recalled the same look when he dismantled Undeca. It was indeed hurtful to look at. It was like a cruel fate. Tres had been smitten with his own kind but she was taken away and then we he found human a girl that looked so much like her and she too was taken from him. It was cruel indeed.

The two of them didn't know what to tell him or what to do for that fact. William needed to get his arm taken care of and they needed to get the boy home. Now that they thought about where did that little kid get off to?

"Hey, kid, where'd you go," William asked, looking around the alley. "That's strange he was here beside me."

"I don't know," Abel said, also looking around, transforming back to the blue eyed priest. "He would have to walk right by us to get out of here."

"I'm still here, Misters," the kid's voice echoed through out the dark snowy alley.

"Yeah, but where," Abel said, putting on his glasses. "We can't see you."

"I must applaud you all," the child said as the sound of clapping filled their ears. "You did better than I thought you would. My Lord was right about you and he never lies."

After hearing the word 'Lord' their minds automatically went to the Rosenkreus Orden. Was this whole thing a set up by Contra Mundi? Was this young boy one Cain's new recruits?

"This was some kind of set up," Abel snapped.

"Well, not really, more like a little test," the boy's voice chimed. "A test that can show what a human being is really capable of doing."

"Explain then," William asked, listening to the child giggle.

"Human kindness, compassion, sadness, sympathy, righteousness, understanding, mercy, loyalty, teamwork, trust, and the power to protect," the boy said happily. "You showed me all those and more this glorious night. Those qualities are what I was looking for and why I was sent here by my Lord."

"Why us," Tres asked, still clinging to the woman. "Why did he pick us?"

"Why not? My Lord doesn't care who you are, what you look like, or what you are," the boy said. "If you can make those choices that define what a true human being really is, then why should it matter? They're the reasons why humans can be forgiven for their sins on Earth."

"'Forgiven,'" Abel said, looking at the ground. _Who could ever forgive me?_

"I can hear doubt your voice, Abel," the boy said. "You should never doubt the power of forgiveness. My Lord God doesn't like doubters. Look what happened to Moses. Good man though."

The priests quickly exchanged looks between each other before they really started looking around for the child. Just where was this kid at?

"You won't find me down there, Misters," the kid said with a giggle.

The priests then looked up to see the boy floating 40 feet above their heads with his arms crossed. They looked up in awe at the grinning child.

"Let me introduce myself to you, Misters," he said happily.

His whole body started to glow a bright white it was almost blue. His features and body began to grow longer into that of an adult, and large white feathered wings came forth from his back. He wore a simple clean white robe with a gold sash around the waist. His hair was long and fair and his eyes were so blue they rivaled Abel's.

"My name is Gabriel," he said as Abel and William hit the ground, landing on their butts as they looked up in awe. "Here's the deal for saving me this evening, showing mercy, working so well together, and so on and so forth I'm going to grant you all one wish each, okay? So, think very carefully before you speak."

"A wish," William asked, looking at Abel who shrugged.

"But we did try to kill him," Abel said, looking up at the angel. "So, well, I don't see why you'd give us…"

"Pros and cons. Pros out weighted the cons this night. You didn't kill him, showing restraint and mercy," Gabriel smiled. "This is only a one night thing of course. So what do you three wish for? Remember only one each."

One wish each? Abel and William looked at each other that could mean anything they wanted. They first thought about making their ticket fees disappear but that would way too selfish. What could they wish for? Usually when someone asks these types of questions the person will come up with whatever is running through their head at the moment, never thinking it through because they know it will never come true and the person's just goofing off.

However this matter was much more serious and now that they really had to think. It was harder than they thought. They didn't want to make it sound all that selfish over something so petty like tickets. Wounds could heal themselves after all. Then a thought struck them. They both had someone they lost tragically. William had his fiancée he lost that he was blamed for killing before he got expelled from the Londinium University. Abel had Lilith who was murdered by his twin brother Cain. Then they looked behind them at the silent Tres.

Tres, unlike them, just lost someone he loved. For William and Abel the pain of a lost one had eased off some and was not so painful as the sight before of the mourning android. If anyone deserved anything it would be Tres. The two men gave each other knowing glances and nodded to one another before looking back up at Gabriel.

"We want you to give our wishes to Tres," they both chimed in unison.

Gabriel blinked. They really meant it. They wanted Tres to have their wishes. They had something in mind that was for sure. Gabriel looked down at the android that was holding on to the young woman he loved so. He smiled and slowly glided back down to the ground in front of Tres. Tres slowly looked up at the archangel before him.

"Well, it seems your friends want you to have their wishes," Gabriel said. "So, you get three in all, Tres. What do you wish for?"

Abel and William had turned around to look at Tres and Gabriel. Tres just stared at the archangel before looking back down at Luci who lied cold in his arms. He then looked back up at Gabriel with a determined look. He had something in mind all right he had it all planned out.

"I wish…" he said in a low voice. "I wish that I was human."

Gabriel looked at him in surprise. This one he would have to talk to the Lord about, because that would mean cold metal and plastic turning into living bone and flesh and giving Tres a his own soul.

"Tres, I will have to consult the Lord on that one," he said as Tres turned his eyes down to the ground in disappointment. "That's a wish I can't grant right off. I will to hold—huh?"

Gabriel paused for a moment as he closed his eyes. He said nothing for a second or two before nodding and turning back to Tres with a smile.

"It's seems my Lord already was planned this," Gabriel said as Tres turned his eyes back at the archangel. "He does know everything after all. Is this really what you want?"

"Positive," Tres nodded as Gabriel reached out slightly and cupped his hands together.

A bright white light split the clouds, landing and collecting in Gabriel's cupped hands. The light then disappeared from the sky and in the archangel's hand held a light that that looked like liquid. It flowed from his hands like water would.

"This is an infant's soul. It's pure and innocent. It's a good way to start off," He said, taking a couple of steps towards Tres and held his hands over Tres' head. "You better take good care of it."

He spread his hands apart allowing the soul to pour onto Tres' head. Abel and William looked on with an intense gaze. Their eyes widened as they watched the last of the light disappear into Tres' body. All the holes in his body closed up and what use to be oil clinging to his clothes and head turn to a true blood-red.

His features softened a bit not looking so hard and angled like his original metal frame had been. His eyes no longer looked like dull doll's eyes but the eyes of mournful man. Tears of loneliness and sadness slid down his cheeks. For the very first time Tres was actually crying. It felt so bizarre to be feeling emotions they actually hurt to his surprise. Emotions can physically hurt.

"Two left," the archangel spoke.

"I-I wish Luci was alive," he said, his voice cracking with a sad tone. "I w-want her to live again, so I can see her sm-smile."

"Very well. Let me see her," Gabriel said, kneeling down and placed a hand on Luci's chest just over her heart.

Gabriel's hand then moved as Luci made a small moan and moved slightly in Tres's arms. Tres pulled her in close again. She was sleeping peacefully in his embrace. Tres glanced over at William and Abel they also looked like that were crying a little. That was their two wishes that they gave him perhaps he should return the favor somehow.

"This is your final wish, Tres," the archangel warned.

"Then I should make it count," he said, still looking at William and Abel. "I wish Abel's and William's wounds were healed."

Gabriel nodded before walking the short distance to the Professor and the Crusnik. He placed a hand on each of their heads. Near them man felt a thing other than their pain was gone and they felt warm inside despite the bone chilling cold outside. Gabriel removed his hands as they looked up at with surprise and thankfulness in their eyes.

"I must bid you all goodbye," He said with a smile as he was engulfed in a bright white light. "Good luck to you all."

"Thank you," The men called out just as the last bit light of zoomed back into the sky.

The three priests stared at the clouded sky in total awe. There was a small hole in the clouds that let the first bit of moonlight fall to earth in days. They all bowed their heads and put their hands together in prayer. They didn't only need to thank the archangel they also needed to thank the Lord as well. After a few minutes of prayer and finishing with the sign of the cross, the finally stood up out of the icy snow and looked at each other in silence for a moment or two.

"Tres, we need to get Ms. Furr back home and out of this cold weather," William spoke, pulling his long cloak closer to his body.

Tres merely nodded to him, kicking the snow from his path a bit as he walked out of the alley with Luci in his arms and his fellow priests in tow. Tres lead the way guiding Abel and William back the small house that belong to the young woman in his arms. They walked the street back to her house. Abel fished around Luci's coat pocket for her house. He pulled it along with a rosary that looked an awful like Tres's.

"Father Tres, this wouldn't happened to be your, would it," Abel asked, holding the rosary up to Tres.

Tres stared at it wide-eyed. He totally forgot about it. Luci must have ventured out to give him the prayer beads back. Abel opened the door and turned on the lights to very nicely decorated room. He then stepped aside to let the others before closing the door back tight to keep in the heat from the fire from the small fireplace.

Abel sat the beads down the coffee table as Tres made his way upstairs with Luci. William decided it would be best if he and Abel stayed downstairs for now. They wanted to sit down but their clothes were so dirty they feared they would stain the fabric of the furniture so they were stuck standing or leaning again a wall as they waited.

* * *

Tres walked up the stairs and down the hall to one of the bedrooms. The bed was a mess and women clothes littered the floor hear and there. It was also the only room that looked lived in so he figured it must be her room. He sat her gently on the bed, and placed her head on the soft pillow. He thought he didn't wake up but she moaned slightly and her eyes slowly opened adjusting to the ceiling light above their heads.

Her half opened eyes made out the shape of a person standing over her. She felt someone's warm hand brush a piece of hair out of face. Her eyes finally adjusted and cleared to make out the person above her was Father Tres. She stared at him and he stared back. The events of that evening hit her like ton of bricks. She remembered everything almost like it was bad dream. Sat up in a hurry and reached for the whole her chest only to find torn fabric and dried blood in its place. She looked at Tres to find the same thing for his middle. She was sure she had died so why was she sitting here alive?

"Wh-what happened," she squeaked out. "I thought I... Died. But then how can I be…"

Tres knelt down beside her and picked up one of her hands with his. She then noticed for the first time that the man beside held an odd expression on his face. It was happy, yet full of worry, guilt, but yet even deeper still love. What was going on? Tres never held and expression before to top it off Tres was an android he couldn't express those feelings, could he? And his hand—it felt so warm to the touch, nothing like before.

"Mr. Furr," he spoke his deep voice mirroring the emotions on his face. "Y-you did die."

"What…" She whispered as confusion tore through her mind. "Father Tres… How…"

Tres put a finger over her quivering lips to quiet her long enough to explain everything to frantic woman.

"When you jumped in front of me you took full force of the projectile as did I but you died instantly," Tres explained as her eyes grew as wide a saucers. "But you see that little boy you helped rescue was not actually a little boy. He was the archangel Gabriel."

"No way," she muttered, stared at Tres in shock.

"He is the reason you are here now," Tres said, holding her hand tighter. "He was sent by our Lord God to earth to look for the good in human hearts and those he found worthy enough he would grant a wish to. He even found something in me. My partners and I were each granted one wish each, but to even Gabriel's surprise they handed over their wish to me."

"So, one was to…"

"Yes, one used to bring you back. Another was to heal my fellow priests."

"A the third wish…" Luci asked as Tres picked up her hand and placed it on his chest. She froze. Under her hand was the beating of, "A heart… Then you're… You're…"

"Yes, I'm human," Tres whispered, looking into her eyes as she looked back at his.

"But why did you—do that?" she choked out almost scared of the answer

"For you," he replied, pulling her close him letting her head rest on his chest. "This is all for you, Luci."

"But you're a priest," She said, closing her eyes to listen to breathing and heart beat. "This isn't right…"

"I may have the title but I didn't exactly take the same vows as the others," he said, running a hand through her brown curly hair. "I wasn't human then. Their vows of chastity and few others vows didn't apply to me."

"So, you just have a title," she asked, looking up at him trying not the cry.

"Yes, in fact if I wanted to I could quit at anytime without all the red tape a real priest would have to go through," Tres said with a particular tone. "I was basically an object to them though they did regard me as human at times. I wasn't a living being so they just stuck we with that title so I could work under them. I believe the term is 'loophole.'"

"Big loophole," she spoke with a slight grin. "But what will her Eminence say to all this?"

"It's not so much about what she'll say that bothers me," Tres swallowed for first time taking on a face that mirrored Abel's when he had to deal with an angry Caterina. "It'll be what she'll DO is what scares me."

* * *

Tres walked up to Caterina's office with Abel, William, and Luci in tow. They had been informed at Caterina wanted to see them right away once they returned to the Vatican. Of course they knew why, but they decided Tres should be the one to go in first. As a cruel joke Abel told Tres to pretend he was still an android when he walked through her office doors. Tres could still pull it off he even made is voice sound very monotone like it always had.

Tres knocked on Caterina's office door before hearing a muffled "come in." He opened the door and stepped in before closing the door back. Caterina looked from her papers as Tres drew near. She folded her hands on her desk.

"I have been trying to get in contact with you all night," Caterina drawled. "Is there something wrong with your communicator?"

"Positive," Tres said as Caterina sighed. "I have lost it."

"We'll just have to fit you a new one then. Father Tres, I want you to do me a favor," Caterina spoke calmly. "William and Abel have gone missing. They are suspended and are not to leave the grounds. I want to find them and bring them back here. I want to have a FEW words with them about them disobeying direct orders."

"I can not do that, Your Eminence," he replied.

"And why not," she mused.

"They are already here," Tres answered. "They are just outside the door."

"Then fetch them for me," she ordered but Tres didn't budge. "Father Tres, please let them in here."

"I can not do that," Tres repeated.

"Why," Caterina drawled, get out of her seat. Tres didn't move or speak. "I'll let them in myself."

Caterina started around her desk but Tres stood in her path, but as she tried to walk around him, but he got right back in front of her. Something wasn't right here. Why was Tres disobeying her orders and then interfere with her?

"Father Tres, stand aside," she barked, getting agitated.

"Negative. Before they come into the room I would like to have a few words with you myself, Your Eminence," Tres said as Caterina stopped to listen to him. "I want to quit the AX and everything else associated with the Church."

Caterina just stared at him. He wanted to quit? He couldn't just quit, could he? Why would he want to quit in the first place? Now she knew something was very wrong. Something just wasn't clicking at she stared at him dumbfounded. It didn't make any sense at all to her.

"You want to quit," she asked in a dead tone.

"Positive," Tres confirmed.

"You can't just quit… Can you?" she asked.

"According to the document I am signed under I may carry a title of a priest but legally I am not a priest," Tres explained. "Therefore I can quit at anytime without a reason, paperwork, and clearance the average priest has to go through. In short, I can walk out of here whenever I wish to and never return."

"That still doesn't answer why you want to quit the AX," Caterina said, wanting to know more.

Tres said nothing as he reached out for Caterina's hand. She wondered what he was going to do with her. She was a little scared. She didn't know why Tres was acting so weird. He then brought her hand up to his chest. This was indeed odd. What was he doing now? What was the whole point of this? Really, all she could feel was his… His…

"HEART BEAT," She shrieked, pulling her hadn't out of his in hurry. "YOU HAVE A HEART BEAT?! THIS ISN'T RIGHT! WH-WHO ARE YOU?!"

"I'm Tres Iqus, just human," he spoke with his voice no longer in his monotone. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Lady Caterina. It was Abel's idea in the first place."

"B-but you can't be h-human," she snapped, backing away from him. "Don't you come near me!"

"Lady Caterina, please just calm down," Tres said, walking towards her. "Let me explain before you do something rash!"

"AAAAAABBBBBEEEEELLLLLL!" Caterina bellowed, running back to her desk and pulled out a small handgun as Abel and William ran into the room.

"WAAAAAH! HOLD ON A SECOND, YOUR EMINENCE," Abel cried out, getting between her and Tres. "PUT THE GUN DOWN! LET US EXPLAIN—PLEASE!"

"B-b-but he's… N-not… What's going on…" she stammered as William removed the gun from her shaking hands. "Th-that's not Tres… It can't b-be…"

"This IS Father Tres," William said, looking at the disturbed Cardinal before him. "He's just not—an android—anymore. I just confused you, didn't I?"

"Excuse me, is everything all right," Luci said quietly, sticking her head in the doorway as Tres made call jest for her to enter the room.

"Lady Caterina, perhaps you should sit down," Abel said, walking toward her and pushed her chair closer to her. She almost looked like she was going faint after seeing Luci. "This is going to take a while to explain. Please, sit down."

Caterina quickly took her seat as she looked at the group of 4 people before her. What kind Christmas was this turning out to be? It was getting weirder and weirder by the moment. She was stuck between wanting to know what was going on and rather not knowing to preserve the rest of her sanity. Now that she was sitting, the four people in front of her began to explain what had happened.

* * *

Caterina sat in her chair in total awe as she looked at the 4 people before her. She couldn't believe what had conspired last night and the last few days. She was totally flabbergasted. She didn't know what to say or how to respond to this situation. But there before stood proof that the unbelievable story about the archangel was indeed true. She couldn't deny it. In fact Tres's contract was not longer valid now that he was human. He could leave right here and now, without so much as a word.

"Well, Your Eminence, now that you've heard everything, what do think," Tres said with Luci right beside him, holding her hand.

"I think you're free to leave the Church," Caterina spoke, quietly. "You are no longer bound under contract. Just becoming human was enough to nullify your contract. You are no longer an object but a living being."

"So, then… That means…" Luci said with a big hopeful grin.

"He's all yours to have and to hold from this day forth," Caterina grinned back. "You better take good care of him, Ms. Furr, and the same goes for you too, Tres. Treat her well."

"Yes, of course I will," Tres nodded, tightening his grip on Luci's hand.

"My, aren't we gracious this morning," Abel cooed. "I was just thinking that perhaps—"

"You two are still suspended," Caterina remarked as Abel and William groaned. "However…"

The two men waited with baited breath as to what she was going to say. Perhaps just this once she could overlook their disobedience of direct orders. It was a slim chance but it was possible.

"I won't make you pay for your tickets," she said as the men grinned happily with a little cheering. "But for sneaking out despite my orders and ignoring the evens of last night you two can add an extra week to your suspension."

All their cheering stopped in a split second. Nothing was free with this woman. They sighed in both disappointment and tiredness. They had stayed up all night after all. Well, at least some good came out this. Tres was free from the Church and could live out the rest of his human life out with Luci. That was best the Christmas gift ever.

"C'mon, Tres, my parents and brother will arrive back home in 2 hours," Luci exclaimed after looking at grandfather clock in the room. "I don't have a thing started. I promised to have a large meal ready for them when they came home!"

"Right," Tres smiled to her, before looking at Caterina, Abel, and William. "Thank you. See you later, right?"

"Yeah, we'll be around," William smiled. "You can't get rid of us that easily, Tres."

Tres smiled slightly leading Luci out the door. He wrapped her arm around she shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his waist. The two of them walk down the hall together like that, surprising a few of the other priests and nuns in the area. This was going to be fun explaining everything to Mr. and Mrs. Furr.

* * *

Later that night Abel snuck back out. This time he left William alone in his room. He wanted to be alone for this anyway. He slowly made his way to the tomb of the crimson haired beauty of his past. It had been awhile since he had visited her grave. He slowly descended into the ground and made his way where she lay. He walked through the long open space as slowly made his way up the small steps to stop before her capsule coffin.

He stared at her eternal sleeping form before getting down his knees beside her and rested his arms on the edge of casket before resting his chin on his arms. He stared at her for a while in silence. Trying to find the words to tell her about what had happened that last few days.

"Hey, Lilith, it's been a while, hasn't it," he whispered, wiping a small tear from his eye. "Sorry, I haven't come to visit you earlier. I've got a wonderful story to tell you about. It started about 2 days ago when Tres and I went out to the streets to look at all Christmas decorations…"

(A/N Yes, is finished. Finally! By the way I have some bad new my story The Lost Priest will only have one more chapter added to it. No one seems to be reading it (according the lack of reviews) and therefore why should I continue a story if no one ever reads it? So, only look for one more chapter. It's sad really. I really liked TLP above all others stories I had written so far, but I guess it's fallen between the cracks like so many of my stories do. Well, please review if you like. I did work hard on this chapter it went through a lot revising before I finally chose to end it like this.)

Millie M. Banshee


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